Effect of supplementary feeding on infant growth in an Aboriginal family

Abstract

SummaryThe weight charts for the six infants of a 20-year-old Aboriginal woman are examined. They all show satisfactory growth whilst being exclusively breast-fed, yet all demonstrate growth failure following the introduction of supplementary feeding. The double benefits of optimal infant growth and delay in the next conception derived from exclusive breast-feeding indicate its desirability for women in these circumstances. The problems associated with supplementary feeding and the non-utilization of family planning methods are demonstrated in the low maternal age at first pregnancy, the lack of adequate family spacing during the mother's teenage years, excessive family size and the impaired growth rate of the children.